Page 4 - AfrElec Week 08 2023

AfrElec COMMENTARY AfrElec

Analysts unsure whether ‘state of

disaster’ status in South Africa can

help solve energy crisis

South African energy experts have questioned the emergency measures granting the
government extraordinary powers to tackle the country’s energy crisis

SOUTH AFRICA ENERGY policy analysts have questioned the BusinessTech. No new regulations have been
likely effectiveness of emergency measures announced, and Ramaphosa has reportedly
introduced by South Africa’s President Cyril held off announcing the appointment of an elec-
Ramaphosa granting his government extraordi- tricity minister until the end of February.
WHAT: nary powers to tackle the country’s energy crisis. In the meantime, the country’s businesses
South African President In his annual State of the Nation Address continue to suffer due to constant power out-
Cyril Ramaphosa has (SONA) on February 9, Ramaphosa declared ages. The latest forecast by the Steel and Engi-
declared the country’s the country’s unprecedented frequency of roll- neering Industries Federation of Southern
frequency of rolling ing blackouts, or load shedding, constituted Africa (SEIFSA) warns of a 2.2% contraction in
blackouts a national state a national “state of disaster” with immediate 2023 in the sector, which is used as a measure of
of disaster. effect. the overall economy’s performance. The energy crisis
“The energy crisis is an existential threat to Load shedding has been implemented on a
WHY: our economy and social fabric,” Ramaphosa near-permanent basis since September 2022, is an existential
The state of disaster will said. “Our most immediate task is to reduce and the Eskom board has warned it will likely threat to our
enable the government the severity of load shedding in the coming continue until the supply and capacity issues
to deal with the energy months and ultimately eliminate load shedding have been resolved. economy and
crisis and to provide altogether.” Ramaphosa has argued that the state of dis-
concrete support to ailing Ramaphosa said the state of disaster would aster declaration would support the timely social fabric.
businesses. enable the government to provide concrete sup- implementation of the Energy Action Plan,
port to ailing businesses in the food production, announced in July 2022. The plan outlined
WHAT NEXT: storage and retail supply chain. These actions, five key interventions that were required – fix- President Cyril
Legal opposition against he said, would include the rollout of generators, ing Eskom’s power stations; enabling private Ramaphosa
the government’s solar panels and uninterrupted power supply investments in generation capacity; accelerating
decision is gaining technology. procurement of new capacity from renewables;
momentum. promoting rooftop solar installations for busi-
New minister nesses and households; and transforming the
In addition to the state of disaster declaration, electricity sector to achieve long-term security.
Ramaphosa said he would be appointing a new “Experts agree that this plan is the most real-
electricity minister charged with tackling the istic route to end load-shedding,” Ramaphosa
energy crisis head-on. stated in his SONA speech. However, many
“To deal more effectively and urgently with experts are unconvinced that his measures will
the challenges that confront us, I will appoint solve the problem.
a Minister of Electricity in the Presidency to
assume full responsibility for overseeing all Stop planning, start doing
aspects of the electricity crisis response, includ- Monique le Roux, senior researcher at the Coun-
ing the work of the National Energy Crisis Com- cil for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR),
mittee,” Ramaphosa said. said a state of disaster was not necessary. She
“The minister will focus full-time and work said it was “unclear” how it would fast-track the
with the [state utility] Eskom board and man- measures needed to solve the crisis, such as the
agement on ending load shedding and ensuring publication of a clear power-purchase plan for
that the Energy Action Plan is implemented the country, which could have been prioritised
without delay,” he added. already.
However, to date, nothing has been done “The feeling is definitely that the government
on either front, writes the local media outlet should stop planning and start doing,” she told

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